VoicesNet.com Recent Poems of Beatrice Boyle - Copyright for all poems displayed belong to author

Just Because I'm Eighty by Beatrice Boyle

8/8/2008

Do not smile and pat me on the head
because I’m eighty
Do not treat me as though I were a child
because I’m eighty
Do not assume that I am not as bright as you
or that my opinion doesn’t count
because I’m eighty
Do not talk about me as though I weren’t there
because I’m eighty
Do not roll your eyes to heaven when I complain
And please…please don’t call me Dearie
just because I’m eighty

I have lived through the Great Depression,
Trolley Cars, WW2, Four Popes,
The Death of Franklin Roosevelt,
The Kennedy assassination,
Korea, Vietnam, The births of Television
Frozen foods, Microwaves,
Space ships, Man on the Moon,
While holding down numerous jobs
And raising a family.
All this without
Cell Phones, I pods, Nannies,
Personal trainers and Botox!

So please…my dear
Do not patronize me
because I’m eighty
Indeed…celebrate with me
Just BECAUSE I’m eighty!
Copyright©2008 Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved)

Outsmarting The Grim Reaper! by Beatrice Boyle

8/8/2008

Every morning when I awake
And reach for my paper and coffee cake,
I check to see if my name appears,
Trying to quell my deepest fears
That this might be the very day
When the old grim reaper has his way
It’s really a little game we play!

He’s trying to catch me unawares,
I don’t think that he really cares
When it will be, as long as he can say he’s won…
The game is over… so long… it’s done.
But I must outwit his nefarious scheme
For it has always been my dream
To live as long as my enemies do
Longer is better from my point of view!

So I eat my veggies, drink my milk,
Cream my face till it’s smooth as silk
When I drink my wine, I never drive,
Insuring I will arrive home alive.
I watch my weight, walk a mile a day
And watch out for cars along the way.
I’ve followed the plan to a tee
But there is a problem that I see

I’ve gotten too old to run and hide
As I feel my bones rub together inside
So I’ve decided to lure him to bed
But with someone else lying there instead.
And since love is blind, he will not see,
The victim he smites is not me!
The game is over…so long…it’s done
But he’ll never know…it is I who’s won!

Copyright©2008 Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved)

OUTSMARTING THE GRIM REAPER! by Beatrice Boyle

8/8/2008

JUST BECAUSE I'M EIGHTY by Beatrice Boyle

8/8/2008

GARDEN OF SORROW by Beatrice Boyle

8/6/2007

I walk along the garden path
Where flowers bloomed in spring
As once we walked hand in hand
Listening to Robins sing

The velvet grass beneath our feet
Glistened in morning dew
The path led to the arbor
Where beautiful roses grew

This garden was your passion
Your refuge where you'd hide
And when each flower bloomed
Your face would beam with pride

It's winter now, and you are gone
The garden in disrepair
The weeds have overtaken it
You are no longer there

The leaves have left the stately trees
The wind swirling them around
I thought I heard a plaintive sigh
As they drifted to the ground

Snowflakes are softly falling
The moonlight reflects their glow
Sparkling like crystal gems
As they blanket your grave below

Forlorn, I kneel and say a prayer
As I tearfully send my love
Rest in peace, my darling
In God's garden in Heaven above

GRANDMA'S LEGACY by Beatrice Boyle

8/27/2008

Today is Grandma's birthday
Though she's been gone these many years
I remember well the day she died, I could not stem my tears
She and I were pals, I wasn't ready to let her go
All through her illness, I always told her so
"Now darlin" she would answer, "we never know how long we stay
It was the Lord that put us here, only he can say"
I placed a shawl about her neck as she trembled from the cold
And gazing at her wrinkled face, I realized she'd grown old

I never knew how old she was, that question she wouldn't allow
(Later I was shocked to learn she was younger than I am now!)
But granny was a wise old owl, full of great advice
"Think before you leap my dear, every action has a price"
"Don't treat love lightly once it comes to you
True love should be cherished for it comes to very few"
I often think of her now that I am old
And realize her legacy was worth much more than gold

As for riches, I have none for my children when I leave
Fame and fortune were never things I aspired to acheive
I hope when my time has come to leave this vale of tears
They have learned the lessons grandma taught me through the years
"Love each other dearly, your children and your spouse
Sprinkle laughter daily, let it permeate the house
Treat your neighbor with respect, as you would have him do"
This is now my legacy, that I will leave to you

Copyright©2003 Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved)

The Beauty of the Rose by Beatrice Boyle

8/24/2007

The Beauty of the Rose

The roses lie upon the ground
Their petals shriveled and dead
Where once they bloomed so tall and proud
They’re now decayed instead
Once they gave such pleasure
Their scent wafting in the air
Unparalleled they stood
In beauty beyond compare

Their haunting scent is gone now
The petals have faded away
Dropping softly to the ground
Unnoticed at the end of day
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
And that is really true
But too often the eye is unseeing
And vanity clouds our view

The flower that gave such beauty
That we loved to gaze upon
Is still to be revered
Although now faded and gone
Just as the face of a beautiful woman
Who’s weathered the ravages of time
Is remembered still for the pleasure she gave
When she was in her prime.

Copyright ©2007Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved)

EMPTY NEST by Beatrice Boyle

8/22/2007

Sounds echoing through the house
of slamming doors
Heavy metal turned up
to a fever pitch
The whirring of
the washing machine
in perpetual motion
Screams of outrage from
warring siblings
The insistent ringing
of the telephone
Dogs barking
Cats hissing
Doorbells chiming
Pillows flying
Babies crying
Oh Lord...WHEN WILL IT EVER STOP!

Oh Lord, who giveth and
taketh away...
The sound of silence
...is deafening today

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER by Beatrice Boyle

8/19/2009

A Night to Remember

In 1949, as an aspiring singer, I was fortunate enough to perform with some of the great stars of the day (including Frank Sinatra) at a benefit performance. I still have the newspaper clippings of that remarkable night!

I had had some notoriety as a singer in my hometown of Jersey City, N.J. and was called upon to perform whenever there was a special occasion, to represent the City.

There was a large Italian representation in the city, some of whom, including my father, had been appointed to serve in various political positions by the newly elected and highly controversial Mayor, John V. Kenny.

Many famous celebrities of that day had their roots in Jersey City and Hudson County and never failed to respond to a call from City Hall, to "bring their pals" and perform for worthy causes. As we lived just across the river from New York City, we were only a short ride from where they were performing in the hot nightclubs of the day.

In 1949, The Mayor, with an eye to consolidating his hold on the city (and insuring the Italian vote in future elections) responded to a call from the Mayor of an obscure little town in Italy...Capricotta...to see if we could provide a snowplow for the town as their previous one had been blown up in the war. Their roads became impassable every winter, due to the above average snowfall every year.

The Mayor responded by appointing a committee to oversee a huge benefit concert to be held in November of that year, not only to provide said snowplow, but to send someone to accompany it to instruct them on how to use it. He also called in favors owed from his showbiz pals, including Dolly Sinatra...Frank's mom...to head the entertainment division. What followed was sheer pandemonium and the biggest success the city had ever had. I was recruited to open the program with the National Anthem and another selection later on in the program. At the time the plans were first formulated, I was seven months pregnant and expected my baby to be born in plenty of time for me to recover. However, Nature didn't cooperate, and I gave birth just 10 days before the big event.

The afternoon of the concert, I was a guest on the television show "OK MOTHER," which was hosted by Dennis James...a hometown boy who had made good hosting game shows and his own afternoon talk show. He would be the host of this evening's festivities. His introduction of me was priceless. My mother was one of the first women Funeral Directors in New Jersey at that time, and my Father was a Detective Sargeant. He greeted me warmly on stage and said of me: "Her father shoots them...her mother buries them...and she sings at the funeral!" The audience laughed uproariously while I sat there wanting to hide.

He reminisced about growing up in Jersey City and being told by my father, to "move along...don't loiter on the street corner...and don't be late for school!" For which, he now admitted, he was grateful because he could never get into trouble, as he had my father's eyes upon him all the time.

I hurried home to my baby, who was being taken care of by assorted relatives, fed him and rushed to get ready for the big night. (Ah youth...what stamina!)

The event was being held in the Armory, the largest venue available at the time, and I arrived to find thousands of people, clutching autograph books, lining up to get into the cavernous hall. Photographers lights were popping everywhere, and as each celebrity alighted from their limousine, the cries would go up from the crowds.

Inching my way backstage escorted by security police who, by the way, were just as curious as the rest of us, I ran into (literally) Frank Sinatra who, surrounded by police and his entourage, had fought his way through the crowd just ahead of me. Here is the roster for that evening...some of these names may not be familiar to you today, but I think you might know some of them for sure:

Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, Milton Berle. Joey Adams, Perry Como, Dennis James, Richard Conte Joe Louis, Jean Darling, Phil Rizzuto, Rocky Graziano, Gus Lesnevich (prize fighter)Toni Arden, (singer) and many more, whose names escape me at the moment. A veritable who's who in the entertainment world at that time. And here I was, just a young girl, starry eyed...shaking hands with most of them...it was like a dream that was not to be believed.

One of the highlights of the evening (besides the obvious...Frank Sinatra) was the performance by Jimmy Durante, who brought the audience to its feet with his ridiculous antics, by tearing up the music and flinging it to the audience, which was his trademark, as he sang "Inky Dinky Doo." Much to my embarrassment, he commandeered me and a young man to participate in this madness with him! For you young 'uns, he was a poplular comedian...a star of stage, movies and his own television show.

I was never overly nervous whenever I performed...I rather enjoyed the tension, but that evening was an exception...I had never entertained in such illustrious company before, and I dreaded going on stage...sure that I would make a fool of myself. However, that old adage "the bigger they are...the nicer they are...proved to be valid. Dolly Sinatra, Frank's mother, who was on the committee, had heard me sing before and assured me I would be able to hold my own and to this day, I'm convinced she passed the word along, because when I came off stage after my first number, she and Richard Conte (the actor) who were waiting in the wings to make speeches,, gave me a big hug and shoved me back out there!

As expected, when Frank Sinatra took the stage, pandemonium erupted and all the women in the audience, some not so young by the way, rushed toward the stage and had to be restrained by the security guards. Imediately after his performance, he was spirited away through the back door before the concert ended.

Needless to say, the event was a huge success and raised over $20,000, (a large amount of money in those days) and two weeks later, the Plow cum driver, was on its way to Italy, just before the bad weather set in for the winter.

Everyone was happy...the town got its plow, the entertainers reveled in the publicity it generated for them, the Mayor's Italian vote was assured...and as for me...it was the most memorable night of my life!

Copyright(c)2004 Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved)

SERENITY by Beatrice Boyle

8/12/2008

Serenity

It is the winter of my life
Spring will not
Come this way again
The rose has lost its petals
They lie decaying in the rain
The trees have shed their leaves
The sap is lying low
Stark branches wailing in the wind
Weighted down by drifting snow

But there is beauty in the snow
Flakes sparkling as they fall
They glisten in the moonlight
A white blanket covering all
Spring and summer memories
Recall Mother Nature at her best
But the beauty found in winter
Is in her serenity when she rests

Copyright©2008 Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved)

THE FINAL JOURNEY by Beatrice Boyle

8/11/2007

I followed you my love

As we walked hand in hand

While the hourglass of time

Measured the swiftly flowing sand

I saw you standing there

So handsome, young and bold

We vowed that when our youth was spent

Together we'd grow old

To honor and to cherish

We pledged from the heart

Keeping only to each other

We vowed right at the start

Forty years have flown my love

Too swiftly they've rolled by

I'll treasure every moment

Now we've said goodbye

Athough our journey is over

And the Lord said we must part

I'll carry the memory of your love

Deep within my heart

And when tomorrow comes

And the good Lord comes for me

You will be there with your arms outstretched

Just as you said you'd be
The Final Journey
Beatrice Boyle
BACK

THE TEMPTRESS by Beatrice Boyle

7/25/2007

I Try hard to compete
With younger glamour gals
When all the men I meet
Say "let's all just be pals"
Yet I have that certain something
That just can't be defined
It transcends all those sexy chicks
That they have wined and dined

My doorbell keeps on ringing
I get flowers by the score
From men who come by every night
Knocking on my door
They never get enough
Of my particular brand of love
My talents are legendary
(Thank you God above!)

Sometimes I take on four or five
(There's never only one)
You should see their eyes light up
When I announce
"The lasagna's almost done!

I WILL NEVER LOVE AGAIN by Beatrice Boyle

7/24/2007

I will never love again
And give my heart away
As I have done with you my love
Though now you've gone away
I will never love another
As I have worshipped you
And worked and prayed for your success
In all you tried to do
I will never love again
And let my poor heart bleed
For even though God called you home
You're all I'll ever need

Copyright©2001 Beatrice Boyle

TAKE MY HAND LORD by Beatrice Boyle

7/22/2007

Take my hand Lord
See me through this trial
Lead me through the darkness
Stay with me awhile
Lift my spirits, relieve my pain
Remind me of your love again

I will not fear the darkness
With you at my side
I long to be at home with you
Where love and peace abide
In spite of pain, I love you still
Give me the courage to bow to your will

Comfort my family for they will grieve
And be filled with sadness when I leave
Show them they have nothing to fear
For I will always be very near
Come..hold my hand Lord
Take this journey with me
To stay with you for eternity

The Power of Words by Beatrice Boyle

6/16/2007

In anger or frustration at the end of the day
And even less, of a casual "love you hon"
As you send your loved one on his way
To a child...a little hug
Gives him confidence to face the day
To a loved one...a gentle kiss
Is all he needs to join the fray

To a child a parent's words
Are always to be believed
But words said in anger
Can never be retrieved
And may lie dormant in his heart
No matter the success he has achieved
It is words that join together
A man and his wife
As they pledge their troth to each other
To be as one for life

We never know just when our words
Will be the last they hear
Was it words of love or anger
That we whispered in their ear
Words are precious things
Weigh them thoughtfully...with care
So they can be remembered
With love...and not despair

REUNION by Beatrice Boyle

6/1/2007

They said that you were dead, my friend
I said "It couldn't be
I spoke to him this morning"
And yet...I came to see.
I didn't believe it for a moment
Now here you are with me.
I'll make a cup of tea
We'll sit and chat awhile
Although you'll sit in silence
For lately, that's your style.

It's really quite amusing
For just last week they said
That Billy Moore had passed away
And I KNOW he isn't dead.
We had cocktails Monday evening
He was funny as could be
As we sat and reminisced
Nothing wrong that I could see.
Dear Barbara Anne is gone
I imagine that you knew
But I was relieved to find the rumor
About YOU wasn't true.

It's time to go again my friend
It's dinnertime for me
So I'll put away my album
Till tomorrow, then we'll see
If Billy Moore can join us
In a reunion...just we three.
If you noticed there's an empty space
Beside you, well you see
It's a very special place...
I'm saving it for me.

THE WORTH OF A MAN by Beatrice Boyle

4/23/2006

Getting older is really the pits
Every organ just up and quits
My get up and go is all but spent
I wish I knew just where it went
I use to wear heels so high
My head practically touched the sky
My new knee's fine I must confess
But heels are a thing of the past I guess

My ample chest made men's spirits soar
Now they've fallen to the floor
My green eyes sparkled...a joy to see
Now bags underneath are a catastrophe
My raven hair was my crowning glory
It's graying now...that's another story
I used to be sexy...men flocked around
Now I outweigh them pound for pound

What's the mattter with men today
Why should they care what women weigh
If they looked in the mirror they would find
They too have left their youth behind
Their bellies bulge from the beer they drink
They eat everything but the kitchen sink
Grown men have sat down and cried
Mourning the hair they combed with pride

Age is a battle that can't be won
No matter what's new under the sun
The worth of a man isn't his looks
It's not to be found in fashion books
But in the legacy he leaves behind
As he goes about his daily grind
Was he loved by family and friends?
That's what counts as this life ends

THE LONG GOODBYE by Beatrice Boyle

4/23/2006

Sitting in wheel chairs
Lined up in a row
Just staring in space
They've nowhere to go
Vacant faces...empty eyes
People scurrying past
Ignoring their cries

Most are alone now
No one to lean on
They call out to loved ones
Long dead and gone
There is no present...only the past
Recalling their youth
While their memories last

When you rush down the corridor
As you hasten to leave
And you feel a gnarled hand
As it tugs on your sleeve
Hold it tight...give them a smile
They'd be so grateful
If you stayed awhile

Is there no one who
Will hear their cry?
They did not choose
This long goodbye
Yet here they sit
As they wonder why
Everyone always passes them by

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GROWING OLDER by Beatrice Boyle

3/9/2007

Ten Commandments of Growing Older
Poem Viewed 4 times
Keep my mind interesting...learn new things
Reap the rewards that knowledge brings

Let me be silent about pains and aches
And no whining for all our sakes!

Reach out to children, both young and old
They can touch a heart that's now grown cold

Teach them your ways...then learn theirs
They can go far if someone cares

Don't be immersed in yesterday's ways
There are so many new things to brighten your days

To have a friend...you must really BE one
Share their burdens...as well as fun

Don't sit alone, mourning the past
You're wasting a life that's moving too fast

This world's no longer familiar to us
Learn to adapt, without making a fuss

Shake off depression when you're feeling low
Accept that life changes...go with the flow

Life is an adventure, go out and explore
Or forever remain...a dinosaur!

Ten Commandments of Growing Older by Beatrice Boyle

3/8/2007

Keep my mind interesting…learn new things
Reap the rewards that knowledge brings

Let me be silent about pains and aches
And no whining for all our sakes!

Reach out to children, both young and old
They can touch a heart that’s now grown cold

Teach them your ways…then learn theirs
They can go far if someone cares

Don’t be immersed in yesterday’s ways
There are so many new things to brighten your days

To have a friend…you must really be one
Share their burdens… as well as fun

Don’t sit alone, mourning the past
You’re wasting a life that’s moving too fast

This world’s no longer familiar to us
Learn to adapt, without making a fuss

Shake off depression…when you’re feeling low
Accept that life changes…go with the flow

Life is an adventure, go out and explore
Or forever remain…a dinosaur!

Copyright©2007 Beatrice Boyle
(All rights reserved)